How You Can Apply and Benefit from Americorps Membership in Philadelphia, PA

EducationWorks-Online.org is one of the agencies that work on behalf of the US Federal Government Americorps Volunteer Program. This Program (Americorps) is really a paid volunteer service for those who are citizens and permanent residence of the United States. The main purpose of this volunteer program is to have individuals with a noble patriotic mind and heart, apply online of off-line to carryout community service work in schools (elementary, middle and high) for example. The nature of the work that will be provided by an individual will vary and depends on the individual contract with Education Works who function on behalf of the Program. Americorps Members are paid for their services through-out the period of their service contract.

The first thing someone who is interested in such a volunteer program will need to do is submit an application online of through manual means to Education Works at 3149 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133, Telephone (215) 221-6900 or at: educationworks-online.org/AC-NationalService.htm - Education Works is officially a non-profit Organization and that is why they are approved and qualified to manage this type of federal program. They will then receive an interview appointment as the first step towards becoming an Americoprs Member. A second interview will follow at which time your documents that were presented (such birth certificates, qualifications, ID and others) will be discussed. You will also receive a full overview of the programs that Education Works monitors and operates on behalf of the Federal Government. This is sometimes presented at the first interview.

During the second interview process, (or sometimes at the first interview) you will be required to choose or select the program that your prefer to volunteer for and supply your dedicated services (full-time or part-time). Someone with a college degree, for example, can apply for a service to work as a Specialist, teaching assistant or tutor in one of the high schools in Philadelphia that accepts the Americorps Membership Program. Not all high schools participate in the program. Some that can be identified as participants include, for example, Ben Franklin High, Frankford High and Olney High. Participants will be identified as English or Mathematics Specialist in the schools to assist teachers and administrators solve the problems many students are having in learning those subjects (and others) at the grade 9 level or at the middle school level, as the case may be, for those are working or providing their services at that level.

Before a volunteer is placed in the schools, however, participants will have to go through a semi-intensive training program at Education Works and on-going trainings and seminars to improve their services to the schools and for a career development. The training is not considered to be hard, since the participants are usually college graduates with experience and knowledge in the area of service (such as English or Mathematics). An interesting training in Introductory Principles of Conflict Resolution, for example, will interest many participants. And the on-going seminars in Money and Credit Management, Leadership and Communication often interest majority or nearly all Americorps Members.

Apart from the above, Education Works Americorps Program also has a Summer Camp program for children in the Philadelphia area who are students of some of the schools that their members carry-out volunteer services. This camp usually operates from the third week of June until the second week of August each year. It is considered to be lots of fun and educational, especially for smaller children. During the school year from September to May, Education Works will also have educational or recreational trips for children with the assistance of their Americorps Volunteer Members who will be the guides and educators on such trips.

There are also after school programs at the various schools (that accepts the Americorps Program). These programs serve to assist the schools and the immediate communities in a positive developmental way. For example, student s who live in those school areas or communities, and who did not graduate high school, are given a second chance to make right what went wrong, in terms of their high school education and development as youths. Teaching, tutoring, counseling, mentoring and such alike, are offered by the schools with the assistance of the Americorps Volunteer Membership.

The Americorps Volunteers do receive a monthly or biweekly allowance and an Education Grant at the end of their contract of service from the US Federal Government. For more details on this and the all the other Programs, please visit Education Works website at: educationworks-online.org/AC-TermsAndBenefits.htm

In ending, the Americorps Volunteer Program administered by Education Works is a useful and important Service Program with important benefits for the volunteers and the schools and/or communities who receive the services. Those who care about children education and social welfare or development, will discover that such a Program is a very good service to participate in and receive both financial and social benefits from on behalf of the US Federal Government Volunteer Service and broader society and needed communities.

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